The Calgary Flames have signed winger Anthony Mantha to a 1-year, $3.5-million deal, according to Eliotte Friedman.
The 29-year-old Mantha is entering his 10th season in the NHL. He finished with 23 goals (the third highest of his career) in 74 games with the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights in 2023-24. His 44 points were the second-highest of his career as well.
What Mantha Can Offer
Mantha has always been an enticing player going all the way back to the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, he is a hulking winger with speed and all the tools to be a high-end power forward in the NHL. However, he has never managed to really achieve that esteem.
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Mantha is fast and has excellent hand/eye coordination. He has a trio of 20-goal seasons to his credit and has shown he can benefit from playing with a solid playmaking center. He’s never going to be the top-line scorer the Detroit Red Wings had hoped for when they drafted him 20th overall but can be a solid middle-of-the-lineup presence.
Inconsistency and injuries have played a major role in his career to date. He also needs to be better away from the puck, which if he can, should provide a boost to his notable offensive skills. He entices with heady skills one game before disappearing the next. Such is life when you have him in the lineup.
How Mantha Fits with Calgary
Mantha is being brought in to provide secondary scoring. His modus operandi well known and no one believes he can become a top-flight NHL winger anymore at nearly 30. With the right situation and a bit of luck, though, he could potentially top the 50-point mark for the first time in his career.
His size is always welcome on the wing even if he isn’t the most physical player. Mantha also needs to stay on the ice a bit more; he only has one season in the NHL with more than 74 games played, which is how many games he suited up for in 2023-24.
On paper, he is a solid addition to the middle six of Flames’ lineup. With some power-play time, he could potentially add to his stats. Over the next few season, he will no doubt excite and frustrate the Flames’ fan base equally.
